Never Forget
by Hawkeye116
Summary: In this world, there are many who trick the world into thinking they're someone else. But they learn that sooner or later, the mask has to be removed, or they'll never be their true selves. [Oneshots, character vignettes]
1. Toph: The World is Blind

A/N: This series is somewhat inspired by Zuko Alone. The episode stressed being true to yourself, discovering yourself, remembering who you are. I think this theme not only applies to Zuko, but to a horde of other characters as well. So, I started a series about it. Because I'm stupid like that and I update drabble/one-shot series more often that my baby Entente Cordiale.

Ahem. Um. The first one is Toph.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

* * *

Toph: The World is Blind

* * *

I can see so much more than a normal person can. I feel the tiniest ant crawling through the grass to the bulkiest Earthbender in the ring at Earth Rumble Six. It's all the same, really; I can feel everything, see everything. And sometimes I see things that I shouldn't see. I can see through walls, I can see through forests, I can hear people whispering across the room—my parents never knew, but I always heard them. 

They always talked in hushed voices about me, and father said he would rather die than lose his honor and prestige. Apparently people wouldn't respect him if they found out he has a first-born _daughter_, a blind one at that. Rich, powerful families always have first-born sons. A first-born daughter cannot carry on the family estate; and the first-born is always the preferred one to inherit the parents' estate. It is a sort of tradition of wealthy and powerful families that the first-born is the aristocrat, the second-born is the soldier, and all the others after that are the artists or world-wanderers.

Whatever. It's not like I care. I don't exist. I only exist as the Blind Bandit, the single greatest Earthbender of the area. People don't dare oppose me. I have the Belt, as I have held it since entering in Earth Rumble Three. Three straight championships—I remember the first one. The Boulder was certainly no match. He was too hasty, too cocky. But that only made it easier for me. The Belt was mine in no time.

I'm surprised my parents never noticed I was gone for so long when the tournaments occurred. But then again, they never really paid attention to their fragile, blind, little daughter that didn't really exist. It's all for the best, I suppose. They're too dull to realize that I was away for so long; so it really was advantageous that they didn't pay attention to me when I ran away to join Aang.

For so long, my parents never told me about the war, or the Avatar, or anything about the outside world. But I learned: in town, I heard people talking about the war and other boring stuff like that. I didn't care about it because it didn't really affect me. I had everything I ever could want (except full independence and the ability to just be _me_), and no war was going to stop that. The war never concerned me until Aang turned up at Earth Rumble Six. It kept gaining more momentum from there.

Now, I'm away from my home, away from my parents, away from my old life. Now, I'm allowed to be me. I have everything I want, and I want it to stay this way. The fragile Bei Fong daughter that never existed really didn't; it was only _me_ the whole time. And now, it's only me still. Except there's no acting involved.

Whatever happens to us all, I don't care. I'm free, and that's all that matters. I'm who I am, and if the world can't accept that, then they might as well be blind.

No matter what anyone says, I am _not_ blind. I can see better than anyone could ever dream of seeing.

And now I see, plain and clear, than I am me and no one else.

* * *

A/N: So, who should I do next? 


	2. Sokka: Precious Little to Laugh About

A/N: Thanks for reading/reviewing. This next one is Sokka.

* * *

Sokka: Precious Little to Laugh About

* * *

Katara likes to deny it, but everyone in our little group knows that I am leader. I'm a born leader, really; it's in my blood. Dad's chief of the Southern Tribe, just as I'll be one day. And for two long years, I looked over my entire village, acting as the only warrior of the entire tiny population (Katara doesn't count. She wasn't that good of a Waterbender).

So it's only natural that I'm leader. I'm the oldest, the smartest (Aang may be Avatar, but he certainly doesn't have an Avatar's aged wisdom), and the most rational. When we're in pinches, I'm the one to get us out of them. I'm the one who gets the food. I'm the one who watches out for everyone. My instincts are the best out of the four of us.

All right, I'll admit that I might be a little lazy sometimes. But who isn't? And who doesn't like food? Katara says I have an obsession with it, but it's quite simple, really: I'm a man, and I need food to survive. Sometimes I wonder if Katara forgets who the food-supplier of the group is.

And I know that I act a bit goofy sometimes, but really, a good laugh is what we all need these days, because there's precious little to laugh about. Traveling around and evading every single person that we just happen to look at the wrong way is harder than you might think. Being in the middle of a century-long war and being surrounded by people who hate each other's guts doesn't help either. It's a hard job, trying to keep everyone in one piece, making sure that Aang doesn't get captured or Katara isn't killed or Toph doesn't run headfirst into a wall (I know she can see, sorta, but she's still _blind_).

So naturally, it's my job as leader to make sure everyone's in good spirits. And if that involves a little exaggerated acting, that's perfectly fine with me. Besides, a good leader doesn't necessarily like to have lots of attention or be single out. Good, selfless leaders just watch their workings from afar, remaining anonymous to history, satisfied that even if they aren't remembered, their legacy shall live on. So maybe that's what I'm getting at. I don't know.

All I know is that I have to put on a determined expression when everyone else is crying or in despair. I have to hide my own sorrow or fear in my mind and play the part that I must—I'm the leader, that's what I do. I have to set an example, be a role model.

Everyone suffers. Leaders just hide it.


	3. Aang: Just Gray, Not Glowing White

A/N: ZOMG how did I forget about this fic? So sorry! Here's the next vignette: Aang. Sorry for bad(ish) writing.

(BTW I don't own Avatar.)

* * *

Aang: Just Gray, Not Glowing White

* * *

It's been a while since the siege of the North Pole, but I remember the end of it so clearly—it was scary. I could hear La's silent screams of grief at the loss of his lifelong counterpart. It was La's maddening drive for revenge that frightened me the most, though.

I think to myself that I didn't do that; it was the doing of La and all the past Avatars. It wasn't _me_ who killed all those people. It wasn't _me_.

I tell that to myself after every time I enter the Avatar State. I hate it—it's not me. It's not me.

The Avatar Spirit is so powerful, but it isn't _my_ spirit. Dear Spirits, I hope, I believe, I know it isn't me.

All the world sees in me is the Avatar Spirit. Katara only followed me because of my bending ability—if I hadn't been able to Airbend, would she have paid me as much attention or hoped in me as much?

I'm only important because of my power, the Spirit inside of me. People see me, and they see the Avatar.

For once, just once, I wish someone could see just Aang. I wish my own spirit would be greater than the Avatar Spirit, just once.

I wish the world could look into my gray eyes and see just gray, not glowing white.


End file.
